Programs of Study

The Department offers a program of courses and research leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The emphasis at Wesleyan is in pure mathematics and theoretical computer science, and most Wesleyan Ph.D. recipients have chosen academic careers upon completion of their studies. In addition to its strengths in traditional areas of mathematics (algebra, analysis and topology), the department has an active research presence in theoretical computer science, logic, and discrete mathematics. Students who do doctoral work in these fields benefit from the interactions between the mathematics and computer science research groups in the department

The Ph.D. degree demands breadth of knowledge, intensive specialization in one field, original contribution to that field, and expository skill. Each student's program of study is reviewed by the department's Graduate Education Committee (GRECO). First-year courses are designed to provide a foundation in the following areas: algebra, analysis, and topology. Written preliminary examinations are normally taken in the summer after the first year. During the second year, the student continues with a variety of courses, sampling areas of possible concentration. The student must obtain a thesis advisor by the end of the second year and pass the special preliminary examination, which is an oral exam managed by the student's advisor and examination committee, by the end of the third year. Also required is the ability to read technical literature in at least one of the following languages: French, German, and Russian. The usual time for completion of all requirements for a Ph.D., including the dissertation, is five years.

After passing the preliminary examinations, most Ph.D. candidates teach one course per year, typically a section of size 20, supervised by senior faculty.

The M.A. degree is designed to ensure basic knowledge and the capacity for sustained scholarly study.

Six one-semester courses are required for the M.A. degree in Mathematics in addition   to research units MATH549 and MATH 550. These courses must be at the 500-level and chosen with permission of the M.A. advisor and the department's Graduate Education Committee (GRECO).

 A total of six one-semester courses are required for the M.A. degree in Computer Science. The six courses must include COMP 549 and COMP 550.  These courses are expected to be 500-level and chosen with permission of the M.A. advisor and the department's Graduate Education Committee (GRECO).  Any alternative choices must be approved by the M.A. advisor and GRECO."

Students are involved in departmental activities including seminars and colloquia. The small size of the program contributes to an atmosphere of informality and accessibility. There is a tradition of graduate students running their own lunchtime seminar, attended by graduate and undergraduate students.